Orville Peck praises Willie Nelson's allyship after releasing duet to gay cowboy anthem
Giddy up queer cowboys!
On Friday, Orville Peck and Willie Nelson released a duet cover of Ned Sublette's 1981 song "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other," a song about gay cowboys. Fans of the country singers have described the collaboration as "healing" when it comes to LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Peck, a gay country music artist, said in an interview with GLAAD published Monday that the duet was actually Nelson's idea. "It's actually been a long time in the making this whole collaboration. Willie asked me about it a couple of years ago," he said.
Peck likened Nelson's unbashful support to the LGBTQ+ community to Dolly Parton, because "they are not afraid to sort of give the middle finger to this sort of concept of this gate kept part of country that's all tied into like weird politics and all this stuff."
"I think that the fact that Willie stands next to the entire LGBTQIA+ community by doing this song just shows what an amazing person he is, what a legend he is," he added. "It's a win for all of us because that’s true allyship. Someone who's completely unafraid to be right there next to us, there's no vagueness involved."
Watch Orville Peck, Willie Nelson's video for 'Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other'
The pair also released an accompanying music video that includes queer men and women dancing at a local saloon as Peck and Nelson sing the gay anthem. Nelson's wife Annie also makes a brief cameo.
Peck said Nelson was open to a variety of concepts for the music video, including them getting "gay married" with the 90-year-old legend's wife as the priest.
In another interview with Rolling Stone, Peck continued to commend Nelson for his support. "Willie kept talking about how the subject matter in this song was more important than ever," he said.
"With all the rhetoric surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community these days, it is so encouraging to have real allies like Willie that aren't afraid to stand proudly next to us," Peck added.
The "Hexie Mountains" singer said he's "sometimes felt excluded from the country music industry" due to his sexuality, making Nelson's stamp of approval extra special.
"Once Willie Nelson wants to work with you, there's really nothing the country world can say after that," Peck said.
This isn't Nelson's first go around with the song. In 2006, he recorded his own version after the 2005 movie "Brokeback Mountain" put gay cowboys in the spotlight.
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Fans praise Orville Peck, Willie Nelson for making them feel seen with gay cowboy duet
Fans of Peck and Nelson flocked to the comments section of the music video to discuss the impact the duet had on them.
"My late mother, who loved Willie almost as much as she loved me, her gay son, would have loved this. Bravo," one fan commented.
Another fan wrote, "Southern gay trans man here, I've never been the biggest fan of country unless is older stuff that my dad likes, but this made me cry at 5:30 AM. This is something I never thought I'd need but I'm glad it's here now."
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"As a little gay boy that grew up in South Carolina in the 70's and 80's, this is so healing," another commented. "And to have a legend like Willie on this song, is nothing short of iconic. My inner child thanks you."
Although one commenter didn't have a personal connection to the song, he praised the duo for widening the country audience. "Love country and as a Heterosexual man, I think this is the best thing that could happen to it. Open up everything and let love in! Go Orville! Go Willie!" he wrote.
Nelson has long been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and dismissing exclusionary culture when it comes to his genre.
The country music outlaw was similarly praised last month for giving his stamp of approval to Beyoncé with his radio-MC tracks "Smoke Hour" and "Smoke Hour II" on her album "Cowboy Carter," her response to feeling unwelcome by the genre.